Friday, February 29, 2008

Conservatives Quite Frequently Step Into Political DoDo

Prime Minister Stephen Harper incriminated himself in the alleged bribery attempt of the late Chuck Cadman when he said in a taped interview in 2005 that Conservative envoys offered the terminally-ill MP "financial considerations" in exchange for his vote, Opposition MPs charged Friday. Victoria Times Colonist

Transcript Of Harper Interview With Author Zytaruk Shows Contradictions With Tories Current Claims

Transcript of author's tape of Harper sheds light on Cadman case

OTTAWA - Transcript of a portion of author Tom Zytaruk's tape of a 2005 interview with Stephen Harper, then leader of the Opposition, for his biography of the late Chuck Cadman:

Zytaruk: "I mean, there was an insurance policy for a million dollars. Do you know anything about that?"

Harper: "I don't know the details. I know that there were discussions, uh, this is not for publication?"

Zytaruk: "This (inaudible) for the book. Not for the newspaper. This is for the book."

Harper: "Um, I don't know the details. I can tell you that I had told the individuals, I mean, they wanted to do it. But I told them they were wasting their time. I said Chuck had made up his mind, he was going to vote with the Liberals and I knew why and I respected the decision. But they were just, they were convinced there was, there were financial issues. There may or may not have been, but I said that's not, you know, I mean, I, that's not going to change."

Zytaruk: "You said (inaudible) beforehand and stuff? It wasn't even a party guy, or maybe some friends, if it was people actually in the party?"

Harper: "No, no, they were legitimately representing the party. I said don't press him. I mean, you have this theory that it's, you know, financial insecurity and, you know, just, you know, if that's what you're saying, make that case but don't press it. I don't think, my view was, my view had been for two or three weeks preceding it, was that Chuck was not going to force an election. I just, we had all kinds of our guys were calling him, and trying to persuade him, I mean, but I just had concluded that's where he stood and respected that."

Zytaruk: "Thank you for that. And when (inaudible)."

Harper: "But the, uh, the offer to Chuck was that it was only to replace financial considerations he might lose due to an election."

Zytaruk: "Oh, OK."

Harper: "OK? That's my understanding of what they were talking about."

Zytaruk: "But, the thing is, though, you made it clear you weren't big on the idea in the first place?"

Harper: "Well, I just thought Chuck had made up his mind, in my own view ..."

Zytaruk: "Oh, okay. So, it's not like, he's like, (inaudible)."

Harper: "I talked to Chuck myself. I talked to (inaudible). You know, I talked to him, oh, two or three weeks before that, and then several weeks before that. I mean, you know, I kind of had a sense of where he was going."

Large Number Of Undecided Voters Has Alberta Conservatives Worried!

Voters in Alberta go to the polls on Monday in a general provincial election. After 36 years in power, the tired, old, frayed and worn out Progressive Conservatives are nervous. Good! They should be.

Albertans continue to vote for the same old crew election after election. This time around, with the undecided vote sitting at around 27%, here is hoping that something changes in the stagnant old halls of power in the Alberta Legislature. Even reducing the PC's to minority status would be healthy for democracy in Alberta.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Preston Manning Hosts A Conservative 'LOVE IN' Over Next 3 Days In Ottawa

"Preston Manning is gathering conservative activists, thinkers, strategists and pollsters from across the country to Ottawa for a conference and trade show aimed at building relationships to win future campaigns. Sensing a lack of conversation among conservatives in Canada, the former Reform Party leader says he wants to "strengthen the democratic process" - elect more right-of-centre governments - through a two-day conference that begins with a reception tonight and ends Saturday.

[...] Prime Minister Harper, who served for a brief time in Mr. Manning's Reform Party caucus, may drop in at tonight's reception. And other well known Conservatives, such as former premiers Mike Harris of Ontario, Ralph Klein of Alberta, New Brunswick's Bernard Lord and Nova Scotia's John Hamm, will speak, as will "near-Conservatives," including Action Démocratique du Québec Leader Mario Dumont and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall."Globe & Mail

Dion And The Liberals : 'Backing Down And Loving It'

Prime Minister Harper Has Obligation To Release Details Of His 'Investigation' Into The Cadman Affair!

"On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's Office said Harper never directed anyone to make a financial deal with Cadman, and that when he first heard the story from Dona Cadman he had it investigated but nothing was ever confirmed."CBC

Details are just starting to emerge in this story. The PMO says Harper had the matter 'investigated ... when he first heard the story from Dona Cadman'. The public has a right to know who conducted the investigation, the methodology used, who was interviewed, results of the investigation, etc. etc.

If an MP's vote in a critical matter was interfered with, or if any type of inducement were made to influence the vote, criminal charges could result. This is a very serious matter and the public has a right to know the results of Stephen Harper's 'investigation'.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Federal Court of Appeal Says Harper Breaking Law Over Wheat Board Changes!

"I think it's a victory for farmers, but more so, it's an establishment of democratic principles. It's not a dictatorship. We're going to have a vote." Kyle Korneychuk Wheat Board Director - (Elected)Saskatchewan

Bullyboy Harper and his conies got their knuckles rapped by The Federal Appeal Court of Canada yesterday for their unilateral and illegal changes to the Canadian Wheat Board!

Harper can now appeal further to the Supreme Court of Canada but he knows that once again, the courts will slap him down!

He will most likely introduce changes to the Canadian Wheat Board Act and try to get his way in the House of Commons.

Now this is where it gets interesting. Harper has already made the vote on the Afghanistan mission a matter of 'confidence'. If the Opposition parties defeat his motion, he claims he will call an election. So, will he do the same with proposed changes to the Canadian Wheat Board?

Stephen Harper and his Conservatives made a specific promise to the Province of Saskatchewan concerning the inclusion of one time only non-renewable resource revenues into the formula that is used to calculate equalization.

In 2004, the Conservatives promised:“The Conservative Party of Canada will alter the equalization program to remove all non-renewable resources from the formula, as well as move the program to a ten-province standard.”Conservative Party Platform 2004 ('Demanding Better')

And again in 2006, Saskatchewan received the following promise:“A Conservative government will also revisit the equalization formula. We will move towards a ten-province standard that excludes non-renewable resource revenues from the equalization formula, and do so in a manner that ensures no provinces receiving equalization will receive less money during the transition to the new formula than the current formula provides.”Conservative Party Platform 2006 ('Standing Up For Canada')

So ... was there anything remotely related to this promise in the 2008 Federal Conservative Budget? NO!

HARPER AND THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE CONSCIOUSLY DECIDED TO BREAK THIS PROMISE TO SASKATCHEWAN.

SINCE MANITOBA AND QUEBEC DO NOT INCLUDE THEIR NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES IN THE FORMULA, AN INEQUITY EXISTS IN CONFEDERATION!

Under the former New Democratic government of Saskatchewan, Ottawa was being challenged in the courts to repair this inequity. However, with the recent change of provincial government, the right wing Saskatchewan Party administration dropped the court challenge and have placed their lips in close proximity to Harper's butt. There is no other way of looking at it.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Former U of S Professor Pleads 'Not Guilty' To Spreading Hate On The Internet

"I am not promoting hatred against Jews. I say I'm promoting the truth," Terrence Tremaineformer University of Saskatchewan Mathematics Professor

"A former University of Saskatchewan lecturer says he's not guilty of promoting hatred against Jews, and wants to take his case before a jury. Tremaine was charged last month for allegedly violating a section of the Criminal Code that bars public incitement of hatred against any identifiable group. A conviction carries a penalty of up to two years in jail. Tremaine was dismissed from his position as a part-time lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan in 2005, after the school became aware of postings he had made on a white supremacist Web site.

After his dismissal, Tremaine, known online as mathdoktor99 and JCMateri, attributed his anti-Jewish comments to mental health issues and delusional thinking, but subsequently retracted that explanation and stood by his earlier Internet postings.

Last year, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that Tremaine had violated the Canadian Human Rights Act by making racist postings on the Internet. The tribunal fined Tremaine $4,000 and ordered him to stop making such postings.

The new postings are alleged to have been made between Feb. 1, 2004 and Nov. 1, 2007.

Tremaine made his first appearance on the new charge at Regina Provincial Court on Monday morning."Regina Leader-Post

Monday, February 25, 2008

Ezra Levant's 'Begging' Formula

Is it just me or am I correct in sensing that Ezra Levant seems to have found a formula for perpetual fundraising?

Here is the formula:a) Ezra is a fighter for rights and freedoms and is a good guy!b) Bad people keep trying to curtail Ezra's rights and freedoms!c) Ezra is going to fight the 'Bad people' who would curtail your rights!d) Ezra has a young family and needs money to fight the 'Bad people'!e) Give Ezra money!!

"How you can help?I promise to fight this fight until the end. I've got the best lawyers and a great legal case. But I’ve got something much better than that now: I’ve got Richard Warman and the human rights commission locked into a process that will allow me to expose how they really operate. Imagine the questions I can ask; imagine the documents I can demand to see. I'll give this my energy and time, but with a young family, I can't give it my life savings.

If you think this is your battle too, and if you agree with me that crushing Warman's lawsuit in a spectacular manner could change the law and make Canada more free, then please help. You can click on the PayPal button at the top of this website (and below), or if you prefer, you can send a contribution directly to my defence team, care of this address. If you’ve already contributed to my fight, please consider helping again – or telling a like-minded friend about this situation.

When I received Richard Warman’s legal threat, my first reaction was surprise, then amusement, then anger. But not now. Now I feel like I have been given an amazing opportunity. A duty, really: to do what our politicians so far won’t do. I want to do what it takes to shut these abusive commissions down, once and for all. Let me know if you'll help me fight."

"The economic slowdown unfolding in the U.S., tighter financial conditions and a strong loonie will combine to slow Canada's growth this year, the International Monetary Fund said Monday.

The international agency chopped Canada's 2008 economic growth target to 1.8 per cent, down from an October forecast of 2.3 per cent and last year's estimated pace of 2.5 per cent. A growth rate of 1.8 per cent would be the slowest pace since 2001, when the U.S. economy fell into a recession.

The Canadian economy has been on a roll in recent years, growing 2.8 per cent in 2006 and a stellar 3.1 per cent in 2004 amid a boom in commodity prices, low unemployment and strong domestic demand.

That strength, however, is expected to wane this year."Roma LuciwGlobe & Mail

On February 14, 2008, without fanfare or media attention, the nations of Canada and the United States signed an agreement that allows the militaries from either nation to send troops across their mutual border during an emergency! HUH?!

American troops can now be deployed in my country! Well Mr. Harper, here is the main question that I have concerning this signed agreement -why did the Harper government keep silent on the deal and exactly WHAT triggers the deployment of the United States Marines onto Canadian soil?

Forgive me for not completely trusting Harper and Stockwell Day! The militarization of Canada seems well underway. We have abandoned our legacy of Peacekeeping, are at war in Afghanistan, have an intemperate top General who insists on playing politics and demanding that we move further along this road to war.

This better be raised in the House of Commons during the very next Question Period!!

Friday, February 22, 2008

British Science Journal 'Nature' SLAMS Harper Government For "Manifest Disregard For Science"

"One of the world's most respected journals has dealt a strong blow to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative government's “manifest disregard for science.”

In a strongly worded editorial, entitled Science in Retreat and published in Thursday's issue, the British journal Nature wrote that while Canada's researchers consistently rank among the world's finest, the same cannot be said for the federal government's position on science and research.

“Science has long faced an uphill battle for recognition in Canada, but the slope became steeper when the Conservative government was elected in 2006,” the editorial says. Science has long faced an uphill battle for recognition in Canada, but the slope became steeper when the Conservative government was elected in 2006.Globe & Mail

I don't think that progressives are at all surprised by this condemnation of the Harper government. The litany of 'anti-science' based decisions that the Harper administration makes is getting longer. Examples include the recent situation with the Chalk River nuclear reactor and ongoing denial of the impact of global climate change.

Let's face it, the right wing are ideologically driven and pragmatic political policy based on facts and scientific observations are beyond their ability.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Unsolved Manitoba Murder Has Interest In Saskatchewan

In October, 2000, a former Saskatchewan woman, Beverly Rowbotham was found murdered in her car in Selkirk, Manitoba. No one has ever been charged in her death:

"One of Manitoba’s most troubling murder mysteries is headed back to court this week as police, apparently making progress in their investigation, try to block the public from learning new details about the case. Justice officials have filed a motion seeking an extended sealing order on court documents that reveal “unique forensic evidence” surrounding the October 2000 killing of Beverly Rowbotham. The original sealing order on the search warrants obtained by police expires today. Several media outlets, including the Free Press, plan to argue that the veil of secrecy should be lifted, given the passage of time and the fact no arrests have ever been made."Mike McIntyreFeb 20, 2008

"An eight-year-old unsolved death will return to a Winnipeg court Wednesday — but not to charge or convict a suspect. The CBC and other media outlets will be arguing against extending an order that bars public access to information contained in search warrants relating to the death of Bev Rowbotham, a 42-year-old mother of two. Rowbotham was found dead in her car in a gas station near Selkirk, Man., in October 2000. Investigators believe she had been beaten to death in the backyard of her home in nearby St. Andrews, then moved to Selkirk. No suspects have been identified in her death. In 2005, a Manitoba judge sealed portions of a warrant used to search the Rowbotham family home and to obtain DNA evidence in the case. The order expires Wednesday."-CBC Manitoba

1971 - Alberta Progressive Conservatives Elected

Yes 36 years of Conservative rule in Alberta is still underway! Here is a sample of what else was occurring in the world waaaay back when the Alberta Tories came to power:

1971:-China is admitted to the United Nations-East Pakistan declared independence in 1971 creating 'Bangladesh'-A new stock market index called 'the Nasdaq' debuts-Women are granted the right to vote in Switzerland-The Walt Disney World Resort opens in Florida-In Uganda, Idi Amin leads a coup and becomes president.-Trudeau's first term as Prime Minister -War Measures Act lifted in Canada (imposed in October 1970)-Richard Nixon's first presidential term-Jim Morrison, singer for The Doors dies in Paris-Charles Manson sentenced to death (later commuted)-Major films of 1971: Love Story - Summer of '42 - The French Connection-The Voting Age in the United States is lowered to 18 yrs old-The Alberta Progressive Conservatives under Peter Lougheed defeat the 36 year old Social Credit government

Canada Needs To Ditch Queen Elizabeth

I was born a Canadian and as a result, I have never had to swear an oath to 'Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth'.

Thank gawd (!) because I don't think I could swear that oath without crossing my fingers. So why do we require new Canadian citizens to swear an oath to "be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors ..."

But now, thankfully, the Queen's place in Canada is going to trial. This comes about as a result of the federal government's failure to stop a Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge of the reference to the monarchy in Canada's citizenship oath. Three judges of the Ontario Court of Appeal have denied the federal attorney general's request to dismiss the case.

I know that monarchist types have a number of arguments as to why we 'need' the British figurehead in our structures of state. Their arguments are complete hogwash.

Saskatchewan Party CAUGHT Trying To Manipulate 'Letters to the Editor' and Callers To Call In Shows!

Is the Saskatchewan Party looking for a propaganda coordinator? And if so, what’s the pay? I might be interested. Here’s the scoop: On Monday, Feb. 11 a former journalism student of my acquaintance was e-mailed a job posting from her alma mater. (This is common practice with vocational colleges: employers send their job postings to the schools, who forward them to recent graduates who might be looking for jobs.)

But aha! This was no ordinary job postings, as I learned when this student forwarded it to me. The Sask Party is apparently looking for a communications officer (a common job for graduates of journalism colleges, since nobody hires reporters these days). Duties include “research and write caucus news releases, speaking notes and legislative reports” and “monitor daily news coverage of provincial politics.”

There’s also “develops and maintains database of people who will write and/sign letters to the editor.” Wait a minute. The Sask. Party wants to HIRE someone to make of list of people willing to write letters to newspapers? Well, that doesn’t sound very good. And what’s with this “and/sign” stuff? If the people on this list aren’t writing the letters the Sask. Party apparently wants them to sign their names to, who is?

It doesn’t stop there. The next duty listed is “drafts letters to the editor, facilitates their signing and sends them to the print media.” And that’s followed by “develops and maintains database of people who will call in to radio or televised talks shows” and, naturally, “monitors talk shows, alerts our database of upcoming opportunities to participate.”

I don’t know what the Sask. Party wants with a list of people apparently keen to write the Leader-Post and call John Gormley but I can imagine how such a list would be useful. It’s just what you need to get a good propaganda campaign rolling. (I’m sorry, that was rude. I should say “grassroots marketing campaign.”)

That’s the only logical use such a list would seem to have - a tool to be used to help shape public opinion. This is similar to a tactic PR firms use: to help push a product, you get seemingly independent, regular people to write letters to newspapers. Hey presto. Free publicity!

I guess I should applaud the government for their commitment to emulating modern business practices. And I suppose I am not surprised - I seriously doubt this is the first political party in the province to hire propaganda officers. Might be the first political party dumb enough to send the job posting to journalists, though. Maybe the Sask. Party should hire back some of those civil servants they canned recently. The people working for them now don’t seem ready for prime time.

*****

A footnote: The Saskatchewan Party sent out a corrected job posting later the same day, which in turn was forwarded to my journalism college alumnus acquaintance, who, of course, sent it to me. Hilariously, all the sketch ‘make-lists-of-people-who’ll-write-letters-to-newspapers” stuff was gone, replaced with much more banal list of typical communications hack duties like “attend meetings with the director of Caucus” and “drafting and designing constituency newsletters.”

I take it back. I’m not interested in applying for this job. Sounds boring. What’s the fun if I don’t get to make lists of people who will sign letters they didn’t write?

******

A final footnote: The best part of this forwarded e-mail might have been the confidential notice at the end. “This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are intended only for the named recipients ...” blah blah blah.. “If you are not the intended recipient please do not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail; without the consent of the sender.”

Monday, February 18, 2008

Energy Industry Contributed Over $445,000 To Governing Saskatchewan Party

Buckdog has a guest blogger today from Owls and Roosters - a hard hitting Saskatchewan political blog:

"The energy industry has been good to the Saskatchewan Party. In the four-year period from 2003-2006 the party received over $445,000 in contributions from 114 corporations and organizations. Approximately 76 of those are located in Alberta.

The figures were drawn from the Saskatchewan Party’s annual registered fiscal period return filed with Elections Saskatchewan and include only those corporations that contributed in excess of $250.00."Read the rest of the post ......

For Gawd's Sake Albertans - Join The 21st Century!

Albertans! Aren't you embarrassed by this? This is your leader for gawds sake! Isn't it time to dispense with all of your nonsensical 'Progressive Conservative' cowboy crap and elect someone who actually understands that we have arrived into the 21st Century?

I am sure that this 'dude' is a big hit with Kate and her ilk at SDA because they like to worship illogical 19th century ideological crap about 'pioneers' and other historical remnants.

ALBERTANS! - DO NOT VOTE FOR STELMACH AND HIS 'REGRESSIVE PRESERVATIVE' PARTY!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Happy Birthday BUCKDOG!

Two years ago today, Buckdog was born and joined the blogosphere - with the expressed intention of alerting people to the insanity and neo-fascist tendencies of Right wing thinkers in Saskatchewan, Canada, the USA and abroad!

POSTSCRIPT:For all of my political ranting .... and 1,225 posts later, here is the Buckdog post that has had the MOST hits over the last 2 years ... literally tens of thousands of people from all around the world have read it ... by far the most viewed post I ever published!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Pakistani Parliamentary Elections Being Watched Closely

One way or another, history will be made in Pakistan on February 18th as millions and millions of voters conduct their civic duty and cast a ballot in the Pakistani elections. No other election in the history of Pakistan will receive more international attention than this current campaign.

The untimely assassination of Benazir Bhutto ensured that the outcome is now more of a challenge to predict. We will know in a day or so.

Kate McMillan From 'smalldeadanimals' Is Now A Columnist With The National Post!

"This is why I have come to believe that what Canadians need most at this moment in our history is a good famine. By "famine", I do not mean those 24-hour fruit-juice-sipping adventures in group narcissism devoted to curing the problems of that continent-wide parade of dysfunction known as "Africa." No, what I have in mind is a proper food shortage of the depth and duration that drives the creative homemaker to taste test the wallpaper glue, while contemplating which of the $3,000 Labradoodles goes first into the stew pot. "Dig deep, darling. The pup's at the bottom." A taste of deprivation could restore the word "crisis" to its original definition, resurrect "endurance" and "stoicism" from the vocabulary dustbin, along with the long-lost distinction between "threat" and "nuisance."Catherine (Kate) McMillanNational Post

If you want to look into the mind of an extreme right wing thinker from rural western Canada, read the crap that Kate is spewing in the National Post.

In her National Post article, she states that she wants Canadians to die from a famine so that they can see how tough she and her right wing rural ilk are!

In her mind, Kate and her brethern see themselves as 'tough as nails' solid citizens who want the rest of us to know just how rugged and self reliant they truly are! This bizarre way of looking at the world is where the Right Wing draws its key western support from, spawning political entities like the old Reform Party, the Saskatchewan Party as well as various fringe parties in Alberta.

This self congratulating, sanctimonious 'pioneer' crap springs from a deep insecurity brought about by the decline of rural communities and nostalgia for a 19th century lifestyle that no longer exists.

Tory Agriculture Minister Ritz Is Wrong To Bully The Canadian Wheat Board

I am challening supporters of Stephen Harper's plan to kill the Canadian Wheat Board to listen to some contrary voices from the business community. Let's start with Bruce Johnstone, the financial editor with the Regina Leader Post. Here is what he thinks of the Conservative's plan to gut the CWB:

"But what Ritz and the Harper government are doing to the Canadian Wheat Board with their bully-boy tactics is neither right nor in the best interests of producers." [...]

"Ritz dismissed the contact -- reportedly 400,000 tonnes -- as a "drop in the bucket'' and claimed that "the board has decided it will not do anything for barley producers." This is clearly not the case." [...]

"But, for Ritz and the federal Conservative government, nothing short of complete capitulation to their strident demands for "barley marketing freedom" will suffice." [...]

"Ritz is welcome to table legislation any time he wants to provide "barley marketing freedom'' to producers. Without a majority in the House of Commons, he knows the bill is doomed to fail. Likewise, the government can wait until Feb. 26. That's when its appeal of last year's federal court ruling that the government needed the approval of Parliament to remove barley marketing from the board will be heard.

But Ritz and company know pretty well what the outcome of the appeal will be. So they resort to bullying the board into giving up its barley marketing powers.

Ritz and the Harper government claim to be fighting for "barley marketing freedom.''

But what they're really doing is trampling on the law and the right of the board to do what it is legally constituted and required to do -- sell wheat and barley on behalf of Western Canadian farmers."Bruce Johnstone Regina Leader-Post's financial editor.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have recently been under a lot of scrutiny and criticism for civilian deaths including the death of Robert Dziekanski.

Well, the RCMP has now concluded an 'investigation' into itself and guess what (!) they have found themselves 'not responsible' for any deaths while in custody. All of the deaths were the fault of the person who died. (Bad people!)

"An internal RCMP report obtained by CBC News shows 80 people died while in police custody between 2002 to 2006, the majority due to alcohol intoxication or drug overdoses. [...] Of the 80 people who died in police custody, most were men over the age of 30 who had been using drugs or alcohol and had a criminal record. The report's author, a staff sergeant with national criminal operations, called the report "good news for the RCMP," because in 2006 none of the 15 deaths could have been prevented, as those people had put themselves in situations where "their decisions resulted in their deaths."CBC

At some point, Canadians just might wonder if we should let the RCMP investigate themselves. As long as they do, there will remain a question as to whether or not the investigation was valid. I remain skeptical. The conclusions are suspect.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

"It means that the board has sufficiently stalled things long enough that they'll survive until after the election," he said. "When we come back with a majority, then all bets are off."Hon. Gerry Ritz Agriculture Minister of Canada

Happy Valentine's Day

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Government Of Australia Apologizes To Aboriginal People

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized in parliament to all Aborigines for laws and policies that "inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss". He singled out the "Stolen Generations" of thousands of children forcibly removed from their families. The apology, beamed live around the country on TV, was met with cheers."BBC

Full text: Apology to Aborigines: The following is the historic formal apology given to the Aboriginal people of Australia by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on behalf of its parliament and government.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia.

March 19th - Iraq War Blogswarm

Mark your schedule for March 19th - Iraq War Blogswarm Day. Progressive bloggers, worldwide, are being asked to blog on the topic of the Iraqi War that Bush and his cronies continue to advance.

Statement of Purpose

This blogswarm will promote blog postings opposing the war in Iraq and calling for a full withdrawal of foreign occupying forces in Iraq. Five years of an illegal and catastrophic war is five years too many. On the March 19 anniversary of the conquest of Iraq by the Bush Administration, there needs to be a loud volume of voices countering the pro-war propaganda from far too many politicians and corporate media outlets.

"... Kate McMillan boasted on her web site - under the sneering headline "Enriching Their Folklore" - that the Holocaust survivor tattoo was the vehicle registration number for her motorcycle. As you will see, she thinks it is very funny - faking a survivor's tattoo by writing a number on her forearm, photographing it, then sending it under a false name. Who is this woman? Would she consider the Holocaust a joke, even to get at me? She would, I think. McMillan is a Saskatchewan-based bigot who runs a web site called Small Dead Animals. If you have been in the blogosphere for any amount of time, you've certainly heard of her. She is one of the "Blogging Tories."Warren Kinsella

"Kate's is not a prank I would have done. I've been to Yad Vashem too often to be irreverent about tattoos on Holocaust survivors. I'll grant Kinsella that it was humour in questionable taste. But it's not anti-Semitic."Ezra Levant

Liberal Confusion Over Afghanistan Is So Typical Of Them

Let's face it - the Liberal Party of Canada is once again demonstrating that they are unable to agree internally on what they believe.

New Democrats do not like the war in Afghanistan because they understand history. They understand that mighty empires like the British and the Soviet Union were unable to tame the wild Aghanistani people and gave up trying. New Democrats believe that a way must be found to lay down arms and to work towards improving life for everyone in that nation.

Conservatives are full of bluster and military nationalism and totally ignore history. Hence they are comfortable sending our young Canadian men and women off to be killed in a pointless war that we cannot win on the field of battle.

The Liberal Party of Canada is split with one faction adhering to the New Democratic view and one faction imitating the Tory belief.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Harper Remains Silent On Killing Of Canadian Peacekeeping Soldier In Lebanon

The widow of a Canadian soldier killed while serving with the United Nations in Lebanon two years ago says that Prime Minister Stephen Harper should demand answers from the Israeli government about what happened in an incident that killed her husband during the Israel invasion of Lebanon in 2006. At the time, Harper called the Israel invasion of Lebanon a "measured response."

Canadian Armed Forces Major Paeta Hess-von Kruedener, and three other UN military observers were killed on July 25, 2006, while manning a United Nations observation post in Lebanon with other unarmed military observers from Finland, China and Austria.

Their fortified bunker had been under attack from Israeli artillery for six hours that day, despite repeated pleas from them and their commanders to Israeli military officials to cease fire.

The bunker was so damaged by artillery that its occupants told the Israeli Defence Forces by radio that they would be pulling out the next morning, as soon as an armoured personnel carrier could transport them out safely.

Around sunset, their bunker, which had stood on the same spot for 60 years and clearly marked with a large 'UN' on the roof, was destroyed by a massive 500 pound Israeli bomb made specifically for penetrating reinforced concrete structures.

Israel has not officially responded on the incident, but neither has Prime Minister Stephan Harper.

Let's face it, peace keeping missions are not what Harper and the Conservatives want right now. They want the kind of flag waving opportunities for nationalism that only an aggressive war can bring to them.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

It is not difficult to wonder if Toronto Sun columnist, Michael Coren, was ever dropped on his head in infancy. This is the same Michael Coren who has, in past, called for a nuclear attack against Iran. Now, in his February 9th column, he bemoans the fact that Canada's 'hate laws' impede his christian right to hate and 'teach' hatred against gay persons or Muslims or anyone else that he feels he has a right to preach hatred against.

I never seem to find sentiments in the writings of Michael Coren, that reflect anything that Jesus said in the New Testament and yet Mr. Coren continues to be a popular speaker with church organizations around Ontario. Shame!

Friday, February 08, 2008

Waterboarders for God

I missed the National Prayer Breakfast—for the 45th time in a row. But, as I drove to work I listened with rapt attention as President George W. Bush gave his insights on prayer:

“When we lift our hearts to God, we’re all equal in his sight. We’re all equally precious. ... In prayer we grow in mercy and compassion. ... When we answer God’s call to love a neighbor as ourselves, we enter into a deeper friendship with our fellow man — and a deeper relationship with our eternal Father.”

Vice President Dick Cheney skipped Thursday’s prayer breakfast in order to put the final touches on the speech he gave later that morning to the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Perhaps he felt he needed some extra time to devise careful words to extol “the interrogation program run by the CIA ... a tougher program for tougher customers, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11,” without conceding that the program has involved torture.

But there was a touch of defensiveness in Cheney’s remarks, as he saw fit repeatedly to reassure his audience that America is a “decent” country.

After all, on Tuesday, CIA Director Michael Hayden had confirmed publicly that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other “high-value” detainees had been waterboarded in 2002-2003, though Hayden added that the technique had since been discontinued...... continured at Consortium News ...

Saskatchewan's Right Wing Cabinet Meets Secretly With Federal Conservative Members Of Parliament

Saskatchewan’s new right wing ‘Sask Party’ government goes to great lengths to deny that they have anything to do with the old Grant Devine Progressive Conservatives or Harper’s Conservative Party. They spin a well worn lie that they are a ‘merger’ of Conservaties and Liberals. Funny thing is that their spin just does not match reality.

Well - for the record, Premier Brad Wall is desperately in need of a continuing Stephen Harper government. Don’t be surprised if the electoral machinery of the Saskatchewan Party is committed fully to Harper’s campaign in the looming Federal election.

What is most problematic for Wall (and 12 Tory MP's) is the issue of equalization for Saskatchewan and Harper’s broken promise to exclude Saskatchewan’s non-renewable resources from the formula calculation. Harper lied through his teeth on that one. Wall has defended Harper by saying that he will get an ‘even better deal’ from Harper than what had been originally promised.

Perhaps the joint planning session between Saskatchewan’s right wing provincial Cabinet and Harper’s 12 MP’s will come up with a line or two that they hope will get them through the next federal campaign with the least amount of damage possible.

Saskatchewan Party Was In Possession Of Stolen Police Reports - Where Is the Regina City Police Investigation Result?

On May 5th, 2007, CBC carried this story."Regina police have launched an internal investigation into how two confidential department files made their way into the hands of Saskatchewan Party MLAs.Earlier this week, the Opposition members made the police incident reports from 1992 and 1994 public at the legislature. [...]The Saskatchewan Party said the documents arrived in a brown envelope near the beginning of this session of the legislature and MLA Ken Krawetz said the documents have been turned over to police."CBC

At the time, The Saskatchewan Party said the documents arrived in a brown envelope near the beginning of the spring session of the legislature and were turned over to police at their insistence. Officials with the Sask Party later revised their statement and indicated that they had the stolen police reports for about a year.

***In September,2007, Buckdog wrote the Regina City Police for an update on their investigation into the Sask Party. Here is a portion of our enquiry:

"Citizens of Regina continue to wait for the results of your investigation into HOW stolen Police Investigation records got into the hands of the Saskatchewan Party. [...] To date, nothing further has been made public from the RPC since May, 2007. Citizens of this city have a right to know HOW the records got to the Saskatchewan Party - and what the consequences are of the Saskatchewan Party posting the entire police files on their website!"

***Here is an excerpt from the reply received from the Regina Police:"Thank you for your inquiry. Policing in Canada is built on public trust and participation: communication is integral to this relationship.

You are correct in asking why nothing has been said publicly about this since May. At that time, the Regina Police Service committed to conducting an investigation and reporting the outcome.

Currently, our internal investigation into the removal of the reports from our building is continuing. Two related inquiries are ongoing: the Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner is exploring the situation, and the RCMP is investigating the initial complaint of fraudulent activity in the early '90s. Since the subject matter of these investigations and inquiries is closely related, it would be inappropriate, and likely prejudicial, for us to discuss our internal investigation until the others are completed.

Once all the matters are concluded, we will report the outcome of our investigation.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

How To Chip Away At The Mandate And Function Of The Canadian Wheat Board In Three Easy Steps!

Stephen Harper and the Conservatives are opposed to the Canadian Wheat Board on purely ideological lines. They are determined to kill the CWB as quickly as possible. In the last couple of days, here are the steps that they are quietly using to ensure that their misguided right wing plan moves along:

1) Change the Grain Act to eliminate the Canadian Wheat Board's ability to handle and sell high-quality grain abroad.

Super Tuesday Special - Politics Plus - What The Primaries Told Us

My final Guest Blogger today from the American political blogosphere is my good friend TomCat from Politics Plus. Tom's progressive background goes back decades - fighting the good fight!

Yesterday was a great day for Democrats who are true believers in either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. The Clintonistas and Obamaphiles are shouting "WE WON!" with equal glee. Obama won more states, but Clinton won more delegates. In one state, Alabama, Obama won the popular vote, but Clinton got one more delegate, because delegates are apportioned by district. I presume Obama's strength was more concentrated in fewer black dominated districts. Overall, blacks tended to support Obama, whites were split, and both Latinos and Asians supported Clinton. Clinton dominated among the the over fifty set, while the young supported Obama. Obama did well among the well to do, while the poor supported Clinton. Voters with limited education went for Clinton, but the educated favored Obama. And even though the supporters of both were right to say "WE WON!", I was right too. I said Clinton was ahead, but Obama was charging hard and predicted a dead heat.

John McCain did quite well, but not quite as well as expected. Mike Huckabee did much better than expected, and may have positioned himself as the VP candidate. The big loser was Mitt Romney and his traveling dog show. Each delegate Romney has won has cost him over a million dollars. Ron Paul probably tuned his tinfoil hat to learn that he is a legend in his own mind, but is now clearly not a factor.

The delegate counts, now two hours old, are still not complete from many of the states, but will be by the time I post my Weekly Primary Report on Sunday. Here are your the stats:

The Democratic Side

Popular Vote

Clinton

Obama

Alabama

42%

56%

Alaska

25%

75%

Arizona

51%

42%

Arkansas

69%

27%

California

52%

42%

Colorado

32%

67%

Connecticut

47%

51%

Delaware

43%

53%

Georgia

31%

67%

Idaho

17%

79%

Illinois

33%

65%

Kansas

16%

74%

Massachusetts

56%

41%

Minnesota

32%

67%

Missouri

48%

49%

Montana

3-Jun

3-Jun

New Jersey

54%

44%

New Mexico

48%

49%

New York

57%

40%

North Dakota

37%

31%

Oklahoma

55%

31%

Tennessee

54%

41%

Utah

39%

57%

West Virginia

13-May

13-May

Delegates

Clinton

Obama

Alabama

21

20

Alaska

4

9

Arizona

26

21

Arkansas

23

6

California

42

23

Colorado

6

13

Connecticut

22

26

Delaware

6

9

Georgia

18

27

Idaho

3

15

Illinois

31

62

Kansas

9

23

Massachusetts

54

37

Minnesota

24

48

Missouri

30

30

Montana

3-Jun

3-Jun

New Jersey

51

37

New Mexico

12

13

New York

127

87

North Dakota

5

8

Oklahoma

21

14

Tennessee

34

21

Utah

9

14

West Virginia

13-May

13-May

Total

553

534

Delegate Totals

Dem Delegates

Pledged

Super

Total

% Pledged

% Super

% Total

Clinton

632

193

825

50.24%

64.55%

52.99%

Obama

626

106

732

49.76%

35.45%

47.01%

Total

1258

299

1557

The Republican Side

Popular Vote

Huckabee

McCain

Paul

Romney

Alabama

41%

37%

3%

18%

Alaska

22%

16%

16%

45%

Arizona

9%

48%

4%

34%

Arkansas

61%

20%

5%

13%

California

12%

42%

4%

33%

Colorado

13%

19%

8%

60%

Connecticut

7%

52%

4%

33%

Delaware

15%

45%

4%

33%

Georgia

34%

32%

3%

30%

Idaho

27-May

27-May

27-May

27-May

Illinois

17%

47%

5%

29%

Kansas

9-Feb

9-Feb

9-Feb

9-Feb

Massachusetts

4%

41%

3%

51%

Minnesota

20%

22%

15%

42%

Missouri

32%

33%

4%

29%

Montana

15%

22%

25%

38%

New Jersey

8%

55%

5%

28%

New Mexico

3-Jun

3-Jun

3-Jun

3-Jun

New York

11%

51%

7%

28%

North Dakota

20%

23%

21%

36%

Oklahoma

33%

37%

3%

25%

Tennessee

34%

32%

6%

24%

Utah

2%

5%

3%

90%

West Virginia

52%

1%

47%

0%

Delegates

Huckabee

McCain

Paul

Romney

Alabama

14

13

0

0

Alaska

6

3

5

12

Arizona

0

50

0

0

Arkansas

25

0

0

0

California

0

56

0

3

Colorado

0

0

0

22

Connecticut

0

27

0

0

Delaware

0

18

0

0

Georgia

45

3

0

0

Idaho

27-May

27-May

27-May

27-May

Illinois

0

54

0

2

Kansas

9-Feb

9-Feb

9-Feb

9-Feb

Massachusetts

0

17

0

21

Minnesota

0

0

0

36

Missouri

0

58

0

0

Montana

0

0

0

25

New Jersey

0

52

0

0

New Mexico

3-Jun

21-Feb

0-Jan

0-Jan

New York

0

101

0

0

North Dakota

5

5

5

8

Oklahoma

6

32

0

0

Tennessee

21

14

0

9

Utah

0

0

0

36

West Virginia

18

0

0

0

Total

126

490

10

174

Delegate Totals

Rep Delegates

Pledged

Uncom

Total

% Pledged

% Uncom

% Total

Huckabee

166

3

169

15.98%

10.34%

15.82%

McCain

598

17

615

57.56%

58.62%

57.58%

Paul

16

0

16

1.54%

0.00%

1.50%

Romney

259

9

268

24.93%

31.03%

25.09%

Total

1039

29

1068

Looking Forward

The Louisiana Primaries and the Republican Kansas Caucus are on Saturday the 9th and the Democratic Maine Primary is on Sunday the 10th. Next Tuesday, there are Primaries in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Although McCain is the clear GOP frontrunner, don't be surprised of the Democratic nominee is not decided until the Convention.